Fluvius takes someone who refuses a digital meter to court for the first time | Domestic

Since July 1, 2019, the installation of a digital meter has been mandatory in Flanders. Anyone who builds or renovates receives this automatically, but they are also widely installed in existing homes. By the end of 2024, at least 80 percent of all Flemish families must have a digital meter. Grid operator Fluvius calls on three external contractor groups for the installation.

About 1 percent of the grid operator’s customers refuse a digital meter for electricity or natural gas. Since the rollout started, Fluvius has always tried to convince those customers with letters and persuasion. Since this year, however, the network operator has been taking stricter action and is using a whole procedure to be able to install a digital meter. The final step is a case in court. That has now happened for the first time.

A whole procedure preceded the decision to go to court. Since this year, persistent refusers have been receiving so-called last chance letters. Refusers are once again informed by registered letter what they risk if they refuse the installation of a digital meter. In recent months, 8,584 such letters were sent. These are people who in recent years did not respond positively to a call from Fluvius to have a digital meter installed, or where the grid operator remained standing in front of a closed door even after several appointments.

According to the company, such letters have a positive effect. Many people still have a digital meter installed. If there is no response, the file will be sent to the Fluvius department that deals with digital meter refusals. He succeeds in convincing 73 percent of the customers who are called to have a digital meter installed.

Anyone who does not respond after the last chance letters will be declared in default. A first notice of default is given by the Fluvius legal department. That has happened 22 times at this point. A second notice of default is given by a lawyer. There are currently three. These notices of default are accompanied by administrative costs.

So the final step is the court. A first lawsuit has been started. “We will only take this last step if the two previous notices of default have not led to a concrete agreement for the installation of a new meter,” explains spokesperson Björn Verdoodt. Fluvius requests the application of the regulations and therefore the installation of the digital meter at the refuser. A ruling would not follow until the first months of 2024.

To be clear: everyone will eventually get a digital meter. Only those who have solar panels that were installed before 2021 can be postponed until 2025. This does not apply to solar panels older than 15 years.

Electrosensitivity is not a valid reason to refuse the digital meter. After all, a wired digital electricity meter with an external antenna has been available since the beginning of this year. A wired digital gas meter will follow in 2024.